ASRock has taken the wraps off two new additions to its DeskMini product line of small form factor (SFF) systems. The DeskMini X300 and DeskMini H470 announced today feature support for the latest AMD Ryzen 4000-series (codename Renoir) APUs and Intel 10th Generation Comet Lake-S chips, respectively.
Despite the makeover, the DeskMini X300 and H470 still come inside a friendly 1.92-liter case, like their predecessors. The mini PCs each measure 6.1 x 6.1 x 3.1 inches (155 x 155 x 80mm) and, therefore, shouldn't take up much of your desktop space. The black and sleek exterior helps the devices blend into the majority of working environments too
The DeskMini X300 features the X300M-STX motherboard that leverages the AMD X300 chipset. Processor compatibility includes AMD Renoir, Picasso and Raven Ridge APUs up to 65W. Unlike the previous DeskMini A300, the X300 chipset brings overclocking to the table, so you can squeeze every bit of processing or graphical performance out of the installed APUs.
On the other hand, the DeskMini H470 employs the H470M-STX motherboard that has the new LGA1200 CPU socket. The motherboard, which is based on Intel's H470 chipset, is tailored specifically to Comet Lake-S parts that are rated for 65W.
The DeskMini X300 and H470 might be from opposing sides, but they have some traits in common. For starters, both systems utilize a mini-STX motherboard with SO-DIMM DDR4 RAM slots. Each machine is limited to 64GB of DDR4-2933 memory.
ASRock's new mini PCs also share the same display outputs: one HDMI port, one DisplayPort output and a traditional D-Sub port.
Lastly, both systems incorporate Realtek's ALC233 audio codec and offer two 3.5mm jacks, one for headphones and the other for a microphone.
The mini PCs are equipped with two SATA III ports with support for RAID 0 and 1 arrays; however, the DeskMini X300 has the upper-hand when it comes to high-speed storage. It has two M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 x4 slots, while the Intel model only has one.
Neither the DeskMini X300 nor DeskMini H470 have native wireless connectivity. The devices provide a single Gigabit Ethernet port to connect to the internet. The DeskMini X300's uses the Realtek RTL8111H controller, while the DeskMini H470 employs Intel's own I219V controller. Nonetheless, not all is lost. An M.2 2230 Key-E slot is present on both models for you to add a wireless card.
Connectivity options vary. The DeskMini X300 comes with one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port up front and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port and one USB 2.0 Type-A port at the rear.
On the contrary, the DeskMini H470 houses one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port in the front of the PC case and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port and four USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports at the back.
ASRock hasn't revealed prices or release dates for the DeskMini X300 and H470.
